At the risk of cycling through an old debate..... widening the Kingston line to three tracks throughout, and placing short passing sidings every ten miles down that third track, would give VIA the same single track line they aspire to on the Havelock line, and leave CN alone with their two existing tracks. No need for freight to get in the way of passenger, or vice versa. The line would be of better quality and less curvy than what VIA can achieve through Havelock. The quality of the ride can then be managed because no freights need use that third track. So it has to be a better deal than Havelock, and it separates freight and pax just fine.
I suspect CN would have pause with that idea, because they don't need two tracks throughout for freight only. So they might be inclined to offer some (enforceable) concessions, which might be an improvement over the single track with sidings. The current crossover plants are an average of about 10 miles apart, and CN would likely pull up every third segment. Instead, assign them to VIA's exclusive use. That gives long passing lengths for VIA.
As to grade separations, there is already a lot of public money invested on the Kingston line in grade separations and crossing protection, and expansion rough-ins, with an eye to protecting passenger service. ... again, more than CN needs for freight only. I wonder what portion of that investment remains to be paid off. Walking away from that past public investment is a hidden cost to the Peterboro line....CN will find a way for government to write that down, in fact much of the investment may already have been paid by the taxpayer.
I would like to see these two options compared head to head.... and that hidden past investment writedown included as one cost line in the Peterboro option.
- Paul
